However, he said, "any indication any of our executives may have given about a base price for the i3 has always been in reference to the battery-electric version"--not the model with the optional ReX range extender.

But, he reiterated, Willisch said in the interview that the i3 will have a price "on par with a well-equipped 3-Series"--which he noted "falls more in the $45,000 to $50,000 range."

BMW 3-Series model prices range from $32,550 for the base 320i model up to $49,650 for the ActiveHybrid 3 sedan before any options--or, if you include the high-performance M line, up to $68,750 for the M3 Convertible.

In the end, we'll stick with our prediction that the 2014 BMW i3 will have a base price between $42,000 and $46,000.